The Girl They Use to Know
by edwardcullen665
Summary: Isabella Swan Moved to Las Vegas three years ago. What happened to the girl she was? When all hope is lost for love, can she find it in her heart to love again?


"Bella!" Alice shrieked running into my arms. Alice is my best friend, and has been ever since we were kids. Alice and I are living proof that you don't have to see your friends every single day to remain friends. I haven't seen Alice in a little over three years. She went to college in California, while I went to college in Las Vegas.

"Alice!" I shrieked dropping my bags throwing my arms around her. The last time I saw her, her brown hair fell down to her waist, she was scrawny, she was only 5'0, and she never dressed up. Looking at her now I would assume she was a stranger. Her once long brown hair was now short, spiky, and black, but she pulled it off. She was skinny, not scrawny, and she looked slightly taller. Although the taller part had more to do with the heels she was wearing.

"You look so different," Alice announced looking me up and down. I suppose I look different to Alice. My once short brown hair now fell down to my waist, and it was no longer a frizzy mess. I finally figured out the beauty of hair product. I no longer had braces, I figured out what make up was, and I no longer dressed in overly sized cloths. I'm a much different person than the one she remembers.

"I could say the same for you," I said letting her go. "Where's mom?" I questioned talking about Esmé. Esmé had always been more of a mother to me than my own. My mom left when I turned 13, never looking back. Esmé took over the role of mom, she helped me through my first heartbreak, encouraged me to follow my dreams, told me I wasn't dying when I got my first period. Charlie, my dad, was great. For some things you just need a mom for though. Thankfully he understood that.

"Inside," she told me linking her arm through mine. "We'll get your bags in a minute," she said pulling me through the house. "Carlisle, the new step dad, isn't bad. In fact he's a lot better than my own dad, and I've got a step brother now to. He's pretty amazing, but he's hard to get to know. Emmett's friends are with us for the summer as well," Alice explained to me. There was a lot I missed on the three years I'd been absent from home. Esmé got remarried. I got invited to the wedding, at the time I was anything but up for a visit home. Honestly the main reason I hadn't been home in so long is because I was afraid of Esmé. Disappointing everyone around you was hard enough, I wasn't sure I could handle disappointing her.

"I thought I heard you," Esmé announced wrapping her arms around me. "Let me look at you," she said pulling away from me. Her eyes roamed over my body before she gave a light smile. "Beautiful. You were always beautiful though," she said wrapping her arm around my waist. "How is Vegas?" She questioned immediately walking Alice and I into the living room full of people.

"It's Vegas," I said with a slight smile. Esme rolled her eyes motioning for me to spill every detail that she'd missed out on.

"Boys, college, give us something Bella," Alice lectured with a slight wink.

"I'll spill later. You spill," I said deflecting the conversation from me.

"Oh introductions," Alice announced smacking her face to her forehead. It sounded like it hurt, at least somewhat. "You know Emmett already," she said as the big teddy bear like man got to his feet. If I didn't know Emmett so well he would be the kind of guy I would be afraid of. He was tall, muscular, and looked like he could toss you across the room without lifting a finger. For christ's sake the mans muscles had muscles.

"You got hot," he said before pulling me into his arm.

"Can't. Breath." I said patting him on the back as he let go. "Are you implying I wasn't hot before?" I questioned licking my lips. Emmett shook his head giving a booming laugh.

"You were kind of cute," he said honestly making me smack him in the chest.

"Such a confidence booster," I muttered rolling my eyes.

"This is Rosalie," Alice announced pointing to the gorgeous blonde. She had long blonde hair that fell into perfect ringlets, and a beyond perfect figure. She belonged on some runway in New York, not in some small town no one even knew of. "Rosalie this is Bella," Alice announced.

"Hi," she said nodding her head.

"This is Jasper. They're twins, how cool is that?" Alice gushed blushing slightly.

"Where's Carlisle and Edward?" I questioned remembering Alice had told me about the two of them.

"They're meeting us at the restaurant. Carlisle had to pick up Edward from the airport," Alice explained with a smile. "Emmett, help us carry in Bella's stuff so all us ladies can go get ready together," Alice announced pulling Emmett out to my car. My car was older than I was, and I was honestly surprised it made the trip down here.

"I think this is worse than that god awful truck," Emmett muttered grabbing two bags from the trunk.

"Don't diss the car. It might hear you," I whispered lightly kicking him. "So is the dinner fancy? Alice didn't tell me much about Carlisle or Edward," I explained grabbing the last two bags.

"Carlisle's cool. He's rich, some kind of big shot doctor. Apparently he knocked some chick up in high school, did the respectable thing and married her. About five years later he caught the chick cheating and that was that. Edward switched from mommy and daddy. If you ask me the kid's beyond spoiled, anything he wants, he gets." Emmett explained. Normally Alice was the one for gossip, but she didn't exactly gossip about her mom's lovers, or in this case husband.

"So normal rich boy," I said with a smile. Emmett dropped the two bags upstairs with Alice and Rosalie giving a smile.

"You ladies don't have to much fun without me," Emmett said in a husky voice.

"Get our perv," Alice, Rosalie, and I said at the same time.

"Fancy dinner?" I questioned Alice opening the first suitcase. She only shook her head hovering over my suitcase lifting up the dresses.

"So tell me about Vegas," she said sitting on the bed. "Girl talk on the real. Mom's not here, and Rosalie won't say anything to her. You know you're going to tell her eventually though," she said. Alice was going to make me tell her about Vegas one way or another.

"What is there to tell?" I questioned shrugging my shoulders. "I ended up on a bad path, but I pulled myself out." Alice rolled her eyes not settling for anything but the full story. "Alice I've told you the story. I ended up striping and selling myself for drugs," I said rolling my eyes. It isn't something I'm proud of, but I pulled myself out of it. Eventually I'll tell Esmé, but right now I can't handle seeing that look in her eyes when she realizes what a fuck up I am," I told her shaking my head.

"You should wear this," Alice said dropping the subject. "It'll make a good impression with Carlisle," she told me with a light smile. I knew Alice meant well, I knew she wanted to know about Vegas to get me to talk about it. But I was in a point where I couldn't talk about it. Before Vegas I was shy, innocent, and quite. Now I'm not so shy, my innocence has been stripped away, and being quite isn't my best quality. I would talk about it when I was ready, and I would tell Esmé when I was read, tonight isn't the night. I slipped on the black dress Alice picked out. She was right it would make a good impression. It stopped just above my knee, outlined my figure in a flattering way, and gave it some cleavage.

"Emmett told us a lot about you," Rosalie announced walking into the bathroom, applying more red lip stick. "He said you were like another sister to him. You were shy and awkward. He told you were sickly sweet, and that you were different," she said shaking her head looking me up and down. "Vegas eats girls like you up, spits them out for breakfast. You'll be alright though," she announced tilting her head. "The dress is nice," she said walking away. I didn't even know Rosalie and she had just made one hell of an impression on me.

"Girls let's go!" I heard Esmé yell. I grabbed the black heels that went with the dress running down the stairs. I knew Esmé all to well, she gave one warning before leaving.

"Emmett," I yelled pointing to the rocks and my bare feet. "For old time sake?" I questioned. He only laughed tossing me over his shoulder. Esmé gave a laugh at the way he carried me like a rag doll into his jeep. Esmé took the passenger seat, Emmett tossed me in the backseat helping Alice and Rosalie into his massive truck. Jasper sat in the middle. The jeep sat five comfortably and it fit six when you were jam-packed. The ride into Seattle was quite filled with the soft rock music. Normally it would have been blaring, but because Esmé was in the car Emmett kept it at a law rumble.

"Bella isn't this great," Esmé questioned linking her arm through mine. "Now there's a doctor in the house incase you decide to take a tumble down the stairs." Esmé was referring to the time three years ago I fell face first down her stairs.

"Do you remember that?" Emmett boomed tossing his arm around my shoulders.

"What happened?" Jasper and Rosalie piped up making me go scarlet red.

"Ok so Alice, Bella, and me are wrestling. I'm talking Alice and Bella are trying to jump me, so I got a little rough. Alice was on my back punching me, Bella was hitting my chest. They were trying to get me to fall, and they succeeded. Only problem was I fell made Bella back up and she took a tumble down the stairs. We're talking face down ass in the air. Now mind you, Bella's the biggest klutz in the world, and she was laying at the bottom of the stairs, Alice and I run down watching the bruises cover her body and she lets out a laugh," he rolled his eyes at me while the hostess escorted us to the booth that already had two people sitting at it. "A fucking laugh right?" he said making Esmé glare at him.

"Language," she snapped. She hated it when he dropped the F bomb, always has.

"Sorry," he said sliding into the booth. "So she laughs and she gets up like she didn't just fall down a flight of stairs and says _look who isn't so tough now Emmett. Let's so you take a tumble down those stairs and not cry like a chick." _Emmett finished the story making Alice chuckle, while Rosalie and Jasper gave loud laughs.

"Smooth," Rosalie got out in between laughs.

"There's worse stories," I gave a light blush. Esmé only cleared her throat calling our attention to the other two people at the booth.

"Bella this is Carlisle, and Edward," she said pointing to the two men. My attention was immediately grabbed by the beautiful bronze haired boy who sat next to me. How did I not notice him right when I walked through the door. He looked like an angel from the heavens. Was I dying or something.

"Hey," Edward said nodding his head. Apparently I was staring.

"You got Bella blushing," Emmett teased making me kick him under the table.

"We all know I blush when someone looks at me the right way," I said right back making Emmett lick his lips.

"Do you want to see Bella go cherry red?" He questioned making Alice give a loud laugh.

"Don't you dare," I warned trying to look and sound threatening.

"Hey Bella,"

"Emmett," I warned. All eyes were on the two of us, most of them curious.

"I could teach you how to drive my stick if you want." That was all it took. My face turned beat red, Alice gave a shrill of laughter.

"No thanks Em," I said giving a slight pout. "Your stick isn't worth my time," Emmett's eyes slightly widened at my comeback.

"Oh," Alice shrieked patting my back. "Burn!' She was in between giggles.

"Enough," Esmé said looking from the two of us.

"Sorry," We both apologized immediately. The rest of dinner passed almost quietly. Almost. Just when we got our food his eyes landed on mine for a split second. No one else noticed him, I wouldn't have noticed him either, if it wasn't for his stare.

"Crap," I muttered watching as he made his way to the table.

"Well looks like the rat came out of her cave," Mike hissed not caring who was at the table. Alice glared at him, Emmett looked like he was about to slaughter him, Esmé looked shot me a sympathetic glance, everyone else looked confused.

"Not the time Mike," I said calmly continuing to eat my dinner.

"I think it's the perfect god damn time!" He screamed making all eyes turn to us. "You fucking slut!" he screamed making me glare up at him.

"I'm a slut?" I questioned getting out of the booth. "You better pick out your next words very carefully. And those words better start with You're not a slut," I warned my voice laced with venom.

"Not a slut?" He questioned with a laugh. "You're the biggest slut I know. Look how many guys you're with, how much are they paying you? Because there is no way they're with you because they want to be. You're disgusting," he hissed.

"Alright time for you to get the fuck out of here," Emmett announced standing to his feet.

"You know what Mike?" I hissed moving past Emmett. "If you're going to come in here slinging insults at me I'll throw it back in your fucking face!" I screamed as Emmett pushed me back slightly.

"Do it whore!" He yelled inches from my face.

"Woman beater," I said in a normal voice watching his hands ball into fists.

"You two are gone," The bouncer announced putting his hands around my shoulders.

"Don't fucking touch me!" I snapped pulling myself out of his grasp. "Can I have my purse?" I questioned Alice. "I'll wait outside," I said as she handed me my purse without a word. The bouncer escorted Mike the furthest entrance as I walked to the Jeep. "Fucking asshole," I muttered digging through my purse grabbing a cigarette.

"I thought you smelled like smoke," Esmé announced walking outside. "So you smoke now," she said shrugging her shoulders.

"I took up a bad habit," I muttered taking a drag to calm myself down.

"So are you going to tell me about Vegas yet?" She questioned raising a single eyebrow. Esme always knew when I was hiding something. She was a mom, more importantly she acted like mine. "Isabella, I'm not stupid. I know you're hiding something from me," she said leaning against the jeep.

"I'm not ready to tell you yet," I told her honestly. Esme shook her head in understanding.

"Ok," she said softly. "If you won't tell me tonight, right now, I assume the worst. We're going to go to the doctors so Carlisle can examen you," I knew what she thought. I knew, and she knew she was right. "So once they're done eating. You will come with Carlisle and I while the others go home," she told me matter-of-factly.

"Ok," I knew better than to argue with Esme.


End file.
